The Current ABEM Certifying Exam: Ten Cases, Eight Content Areas, and a New Standard for Emergency Medicine
A source-grounded guide to the in-person examination that replaced the former Emergency Medicine Oral Exam in 2026—and the exact practice behaviors the new format demands.
Key takeaways
- The former virtual Oral Exam retired after 2025; the current final certification step is the in-person ABEM Certifying Exam.
- Candidates complete 10 cases during a half-day session: two Clinical Decision-Making, two Prioritization, and six OSCE-style communication or procedure cases.
- Clinical Care Cases are 15 minutes each; Communication & Procedure Cases are 10 minutes each, with a fixed 30-minute break between case blocks.
- The public format uses standardized cases, not a candidate-submitted personal case list, so Emergency Medicine preparation should emphasize transferable performance across all eight content areas.
Use the current exam name
What changed in 2026
ABEM retired the virtual Oral Exam after 2025 and launched a substantially different in-person Certifying Exam in 2026. Searchers may still use “Emergency Medicine oral boards,” but candidates should prepare for the present examination—not rehearse the old format.
| Dimension | Former format | Current public format |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Oral Exam / Oral Certification Examination | ABEM Certifying Exam |
| Delivery | Hotel-based historically and later virtual | In person at the AIME Center in Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Session | Oral-case format | Half-day assessment with 10 cases |
| Competencies | Primarily clinical reasoning and oral performance | Clinical decision-making, prioritization, procedures, ultrasound, reassessment, and complex communication |
| Personal cases | Not a candidate practice-case examination | Standardized simulated cases; no public candidate case-list requirement |
The ten-case blueprint
ABEM’s public materials and 2026 validity report describe four Clinical Care Cases and six Communication & Procedure Cases. The published blueprint maps to eight content areas.
| Case type | Number | Time per case | Primary performance demand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Decision-Making | 2 | 15 minutes | Evaluate and treat an undifferentiated presentation while explaining reasoning |
| Prioritization | 2 | 15 minutes | Triage multiple patients, stabilize the sickest, delegate, and reprioritize |
| Procedures | 1 | 10 minutes | Prepare, perform, troubleshoot, and provide post-procedure care |
| Ultrasound | 1 | 10 minutes | Acquire and interpret images while communicating with a standardized patient |
| Patient-Centered Communication | 1 | 10 minutes | Build rapport, exchange information, and support shared decisions |
| Reassessment | 1 | 10 minutes | Integrate new information and modify care |
| Difficult Conversations | 1 | 10 minutes | Disclose unwanted or unexpected information with empathy and closure |
| Managing Conflict | 1 | 10 minutes | Negotiate differing positions toward a safe patient-centered plan |
How the half-day session flows
Candidates may begin with either case block. ABEM’s published schedules show a fixed 30-minute break between blocks and a personalized schedule provided at registration.
Clinical Care first
Four 15-minute cases are completed, followed by the fixed break, orientation, and six 10-minute Communication & Procedure Cases.
Communication & Procedure first
Six 10-minute cases are completed, followed by the fixed break, orientation, and four 15-minute Clinical Care Cases.
Morning session
Published registration is 7:00 a.m. ET and the session ends at 11:25 a.m.
Afternoon session
Published registration is 12:00 p.m. ET and the session ends at 4:25 p.m.
Location, administrations, and current dates
The examination is administered at the AIME Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. Multiple administrations are offered throughout the year; eligible physicians are assigned an administration and then register for a half-day session.
ABEM currently lists multiple 2026 administration windows and nine 2027 windows beginning April 5–8 and ending November 15–18. Registration windows and fees can change, so candidates should use MyABEM and the current Certifying Exam page before purchasing travel.
ABEM’s candidate packet recommends arriving in Raleigh no later than the day before the examination because schedule changes may not be possible for travel delays.
What high-fidelity preparation must include
- 01
Ten-case endurance
Practice a complete half-day sequence with both 15-minute and 10-minute station clocks, a fixed break, and a clean cognitive reset between rooms.
- 02
Observable actions
Do not only narrate knowledge. Demonstrate triage, delegation, procedural setup, image acquisition, communication, reassessment, and post-procedure care.
- 03
Case-type switching
Move from examiner discussion to standardized-patient interaction, hands-on technique, ultrasound explanation, and multi-patient prioritization without carrying the prior station forward.
- 04
Original scenarios only
Use public criteria and original educational cases. Do not solicit, reconstruct, or share secure exam content.
- 05
Current Board resources
Review ABEM’s sample cases, debrief videos, case summaries, scoring criteria, procedure list, ultrasound list, schedules, and candidate packet.
What SurgiTest does—and does not—claim
- Provides original voice-first and interactive educational scenarios aligned to public case types.
- Separates feedback by observable performance domain and station type.
- Does not reproduce secure ABEM cases or candidate recollections.
- Does not calculate an official ABEM score or pass probability.
- Does not replace MyABEM instructions, official videos, procedures lists, ultrasound lists, or candidate logistics documents.
- Is independent from and not endorsed by ABEM.
Put the framework under pressure
Practice the answer out loud—not only on paper.
Voice-first cases, adaptive examiner follow-up, imaging, complications, and structured educational feedback for emergency medicine.
Questions candidates ask
Frequently asked questions
Is the current ABEM final certification exam still the Emergency Medicine Oral Exam?
No. ABEM retired the former virtual Oral Exam after 2025. Beginning in 2026, the final certification step is the in-person ABEM Certifying Exam at the AIME Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
How many cases are on the current ABEM Certifying Exam?
ABEM states that candidates complete 10 cases in a half-day session: four Clinical Care Cases and six Communication & Procedure Cases spanning eight content areas.
Does Emergency Medicine require a personal case list or Personal Case Uploads?
The public ABEM Certifying Exam format uses standardized simulated cases, not a candidate-submitted personal case list. SurgiTest therefore emphasizes original catalog cases, procedures, ultrasound, communication, prioritization, and reassessment rather than personal-case uploads for this specialty.
Does ABEM publish a numeric candidate-facing cut score?
ABEM describes the examination as criterion referenced and not graded on a curve. It publishes case-type scoring criteria, but it does not publish a simple candidate-facing numerical cut score that SurgiTest can reproduce or predict.
Does SurgiTest reproduce actual ABEM exam cases or guarantee certification?
No. SurgiTest uses original educational scenarios and public exam information. It does not reproduce secure examination content, calculate an official ABEM result, claim Board endorsement, or guarantee certification.
Source transparency
Official references
Board requirements, dates, and candidate instructions can change. Confirm current details directly with ABEM and the Board’s candidate portal.
Continue preparing